What if you were given a circle with either two secents, two tangents, or one of each that share a common point outside the circle? How could you use the measure of the arcs formed by those circle parts to find the measure of the angle they make outside the circle? After completing this Concept, you'll be able to apply the Outside Angle Theorem to solve problems like this one.

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Guidance

An angle is
outside
a circle if its vertex is outside the circle and its sides are tangents or secants. The possibilities are: an angle formed by two tangents, an angle formed by a tangent and a secant, and an angle formed by two secants.

Outside Angle Theorem:
The measure of an angle formed by two secants, two tangents, or a secant and a tangent from a point outside the circle is half the difference of the measures of the intercepted arcs.

,
,

Example A

Find the value of
.

.

Example B

Find the value of
.

.

Example C

Find the value of
.

First note that the missing arc by angle
measures
because the complete circle must make
. Then,
.